Enclosures for dangerous & restricted dogs

The Companion Animals Amendment Act 2005 requires that dangerous and restricted dogs must be kept in an enclosure that complies with requirements outlined in the Companion Animals Regulation. Owners can face severe penalties and/or the dog can be seized if the requirements are not met.

Requirements of enclosures

An enclosure must meet all of the following requirements:

Be fully enclosed, constructed and maintained in such a way so that the dog is not able to dig or otherwise escape under, over or through the enclosure,

Be constructed in such a way so that a person cannot have access to it without the assistance of an occupier of the property who is above the age of 18 years,

Be designed to prevent children from having access to the enclosure,

Not be located on the property in such a way so that people are required to pass through the enclosure to gain access to other parts of the property,

Have a minimum height of 1.8 metres and a minimum width of 1.8 metres,

Have an area of not less than 10 square metres for each dangerous or restricted dog kept on the property,

Have walls, a fixed covering and a gate constructed of:

brick, timber, iron or similar solid materials, or

mesh that is chain mesh manufactured from at least 3.15mm wire to form a maximum mesh spacing or 50mm or weldmesh manufactured from at least 4mm wire with a maximum mesh spacing of 50mm, or

a combination of the materials referred to in items 1 and 2,

Have a floor that is constructed of sealed concrete and graded to fall to a drain for the removal of effluent,

Provide a weatherproof sleeping area.

Any gate to the enclosure must:

Contain a self-closing and self-latching mechanism that enables the enclosure to be securely locked when the dog is in the enclosure,

Be kept locked when the dog is in the enclosure, and

Display the warning sign referred to below.

Warning signs

A sign must be displayed on the property on which a dangerous dog or restricted dog is ordinarily kept. The sign must comply with the following requirements:

The sign must be no smaller than 40cm x 40cm,

The sign must be made of durable materials,

The sign must show the words "Warning Dangerous Dog" in letters that are large enough so they are clearly visible from the boundaries of the property and that are at least 50mm high and 10mm wide.

Distinctive collars

A distinctive collar is considered compliant if:

It consists of red stripes alternatively spaced with yellow stripes, each being a width of 25mm and set diagonal to the rim of the collar at an angle of 45 degrees,

At least one of the 2 colours reflects light in the dark,

It is made of durable materials,

It has a device or other facility that enables it to be attached to a leash, and

It has a minimum width of:

25mm for a dog weighing less than 20kg,

40mm for a dog weighing between 20kg and 40kg, or

50mm for a dog weighing more than 40kg.

Approval for the construction of an enclosure

Council approval

The building of an enclosure, which complies with the above requirements, may require Council approval before it can be constructed. Please contact Council's Customer Service Centre on 9083 8000 for more information.

Department of Housing approval

If you live in a property owned by the Department of Housing, you will need to enquire with the Department as to whether the construction of this type of enclosure would be permitted.

Tenants

Residents who are renting or leasing the property where a restricted or dangerous dog is ordinarily kept, will need to seek approval from the owner of the property to construct an enclosure.